Racism and slavery in Brazil

March 2, 2015

Brazil’s Afro population has dealt with centuries of historic structural racism and disenfranchisement. One of these groups, known as Quilombolas or Quilombos, are landless and descend from escaped or former African slaves. The administration of current Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff, has been accused of “dragging its feet” on executing an already established reparations regime. We’ll talk about racism in Brazil and current remedies with Ruth Needleman, professor emerita of Labor Studies at Indiana University. She’s researched social justice issues, especially in the Americas and Global South, for decades.
PHOTO: Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff speaks during a ceremony launching the "Bem Simples" program, at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015.(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)